Did you know that this year’s Lincoln Center Christmas Tree was born and raised in Columbia County? It’s true. While not as famous as the tree at Rockefeller Center, the lighting of the Lincoln Center tree has been one of the city’s annual holiday traditions for the past 18 years.

The tree is a Colorado Blue Spruce, around 50 to 55 feet tall, which was planted in our county in 1971 and delivered to Lincoln Center today. This year’s tree lighting ceremony will take place on November 26, 2007 from 5:30 to 6:00pm on the Lincoln Center plaza.

The celebration will include performances from some of Lincoln Center’s resident companies and special guests. The Metropolitan Opera will perform an excerpt from the new production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, dancers from the New York City Ballet’s production of Balanchine’s The Nutcracker will perform The Dance of the Candy Canes, and the Hot 8 Brass Band will perform songs of the season with special guest, Dar Williams

The event is open to the public and free. For more information, call the Lincoln Center Information hotline at 212-875-5456, or visit LincolnCenter.org